Draft gear for railway vehicles



vApril 9, 1935.

' HL EGEN 1,997,170

DRAFT GEAR FOR RAILWAY VEHICLES Filed D60. 13, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet lINVENTOR ATTORNEYs pnl 9, 1935. H. Eel-:N 9 1,997,170

' DRAFT GEAR FOR RAILWAY vEHcLEs Fi'Led Dec.v13, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 nIZ f2., (i1 i INVENTCR MAb/Zvw vATTORNEYS H. EGEN 1,997,170

DRAFT GEAR FOR RAILWAY VEHCLES Filed neo. 13, 1932 4 sheets-sheet l sApril 9,1-93'5.

ATTORNEYS.

April 9, 15935.

H. EGEN DRAFT GEARFOR RAILWAY VEHICLES 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Dec. l5,1952 l Il lNvENToR ATTORNEYS` Patented Apr. 9, 19357Y DRAFTr GEARFORYRAILWAY VEHICLES Heinrich f Egen, Essen,

, Germany, assigner toV Fried, Krupp Aktiengesellschaft, Essen, Germany,a corporation of Germany c c Y Applicationeeember 13,1932, serial no.646,944 Y, ,Y 'j In Germany January 25, 1932 v io Claims This inventionrelates to elastic draft gear for railway vehicles. Such draft gearcommonly oonsists of av pair of draft or buing rods arranged in tandemand extending substantially the length of the car or vehicle with a lostmotion connection;

between the inner `ends ofthe rodsgspring means being provided toopposerelative movement of the rods and additional spring means being pro?vided for transmittingv stresses from each rod toV the vvehicle body. .f

An object of this invention isV a 'compactarrangement of thevariousspringzmeans, :thereby making'the elastic draft gear-*morevadaptable toshort cars than heretofore. Y

According to the present invention, the lost motion connectionibetweenthe two rods and the spring means opposing relative movement' of the tworodsare arranged within the confines of the spring means fortransmitting stresses from the draft gear to the vehicle body, Vtheentire' assembly being arrangedY centrally of. the rvehicle body. Thisarrangement of frame and rod springs reduces the space requirements ofthegsame and makes the draft gear adaptable for short cars.V

specication and accompanying drawings'wherein: J

Figs. 1 to 8 inclusive are axial sections through different embodimentsofY theinvention;`

Figs. 9 and l0 are sections on the lines `9---9`and i to the left byforce transmitted'through the right ivfl0 of FigVS respectively, and

Figs. l1 to 13 are views-similarltowFig. 8,

with the elements in different positions.

but

draft and buifer rods A are provided with collars a against which arepressed spring plates lb' by helical springsiB; Longitudinal 'framebars-C off the vehicle are formed with recesses c into whichextend thespring platesb'.' The springs `B alsovr bear against spring plates b3left between recesses c3 formed in the frame members C and into whichextend the spring plates b2. A follower 4 a2 is rigidly connected toeach rod A and a helical 5 having abutments f2 which are engaged by theOther objects, novelfeatures and advantages"of-A this invention'will beapparent from the following kReferring now more especially? to Fig.V l,thespring D arranged coaxially of the' rods A pressesl against eachfollower a2 a spring plate d' slidablyV followers d2. A. tube G receivesthe inneriernds lof Vtherods A andserves to limitcompressionofthe springD. l f Y When both rods A aresimultaneously subjected to-inward push;the two'followers a2 and plates d' if' are moved toward. each other,thereby compress-V ing the spring D and such movement may. oo njtinue'until further compression of. the spring D is prevented bythe tubeGf.' The rodsE move freelythrough. the kfollowers a2 and the plates dVandthe spring D is effectivev only to transmit strains fromV o ne rod totheother.` The collars a move the` spring plates Vb toward eachothen'thereby: compressingxthe springs Biand-'as the springsare opposed toeach other, no accelerating 15, forces will vbe' applied tothe vehiclewith equal Y strokes of the rods A.

When draft stresses are applied simultaneously to the rods A, eachfollower a2 carries `along by;

means of the rods-E, the opposite spring plate 11520 scythat'againl thespring D is compressed, but transmits no force to the vehicle..Simultaneously,

' the portions of the sleeve'F are moved outwardly by thefollowers a2 sothat each spring plate b2 Y compresses the corresponding` Vspring B, butno acceleratingforce 'is ltransmitted to the vehicle structure uponequal strokes of the rods jA.

The application ofjinward 'push to the right rod A causes compression.of 'the corresponding spring B by means of the spring plate Yb'.VIffthe v30 left rod A oifersno resistance, litwill be displaced ffollower a2, lright Aspring plated'. spring D, .left

" spring plate 4d'anda left follower a2, without any1 appreciablecompression of the spring D. The -35, 1 left follower a2 then. transmitsforce through the left portion lof ythe sleeve F by means ofthe abut-Vments Fand-'fito the left spring plate b2 which, in Y turn,` compressesVthe left spring B. Forces are. therebytransmitted from the draftgearthrough the two springs B to the vehicle and accelerate Vthesame.' l

Outward pull exerted on the right rod causes the right follower a2 tomove to the right and carry with itfthe right half of the sleeve-Fscthat-the V4:5411 y right: spring B is ccmpressedandtends toaccelervatethe vehicle. At the same time, the movement of thefright rod A istransmitted to the left rod A v 'through' the 4linkage consisting ofVVright follower 1 "a2, rods E, left lispring plate d. spring D,-right50 springplate d', rods'E and leftfollower a2. andthe Vleft rod Aythrough the' medium of the left spring plate b', .compresses the.corresponding Yspring B Y and also tends'to accelerate the vehicle.

`In the embodiment sho-wn in Fig. 2, springsJ l.

and is. effective to limit compression of the l5 lowers k and the springplates k3.

are disposed between the longitudinal frame members -I-I of the vehicleand bear at one end against the followers 7c next to the rods K and atthe other end against abutments hf on the frame `5 members H. Thefollowers Ic operatel in a simi.-

lar manner to the first `embodiment through the niediurnwof rods k2 andspring plates 7c3 on a springl L disposed around the inner ends' of therods K; A tube G` receives the inner ends of the rods K spring L.

If both rods K are simultaneously .subject-edt@ inward push, they willcompress the spring L and the two springs J through the mediumk of 'thefoljv When the. rods K are simultaneously subjected'to outward pull,then as in the case of the rst ',mbodiment, the spring L will also becompressed while .the springs J will be free from load. In both .casesno accelerating force is transmitted to the vehicle.

In the case of inward push on one rod only, the corresponding followerlc ywill compress the .adjacent spring J, while the remaining rod Kwill. be displaced through thelinkage between the'two rods K',theremaining spring'J being unaffected..

In the case of a pull on one-rod K,-the 'actionwilL be just reversed. *1

" `Inthe embodiment disclosed inFig. 3, springs M .bear againstabutments h and against spring i plates m which in turn engage followerslc mount-1 f ed on the draft rods. Rods k2 connect each fol-i lowercwith the opposite 'spring plate .11i/andv pass freely through theremainingl'spring plate.` With this arrangement, simultaneous.pullspr`1pushes on the draft rods result in compression of the springs M aswell as the spring L;

In the embodiment shown in Fig'. .4, the draft and' buffer' rods N areconnected through` the medium of a tube n' having end flanges 11,2and1i3.; 40 1Two spring plates 114 and 11.5 are movably mount.

ed on the tube 11, and a helical spring O is.in.

terposed between these plates. The. longitudinal frame members P areprovided with abutments. p for engagement with flanges n2 anda.3 and-with abutments p2 for engagement by the spring plates 114 and n. Aspring O surrounds the inner ends of the rods N and is interposedbetween spring plates q slidably mounted. on the rods N, these springplates being connected Vwith the .tube

Nand affollowerq3V by rods q2, the tube N and the follower q3 beingrigid respectively withthe leftrandright rods N. Y

rf-the two rods N are simultaneously.'subjected-1 toiinwarcll push,the=followers willlcarryalong' =the spring plates. q Y'therebyvcompressing -the spring Q. In such movement,.the`tube n will be movedtothe left so that itsrflange 11.2 'willoarryl along`v the springVplatem, thereby' compressing-; the springO.. In the caselof simultaneouspull-3 Gor? onbotlrrods N, the movement ofeachzofthese...A rods .will betransferredthrough the'nrods; q2 to the spring plate q of the other rodsN so that the.vv

spring Q will againbe compressed. Also,` the tube *NiV will be moved tothe left, thereby causing 551lcompression of the spring O throughcorrespond ing movement of the flange 112.

An inward push on the leftrod N'causes the flange 112nofthe .follower N'to compress the spring O through the Vmedium ofithe'plate` '114'.fS-while the spring QremainsY unaffected..

In the case of inward push on the right rod N this. rod Vthrough itsfollowers and. thespring plates q' will first remove the spring Q' andalso' .ange g4. i

the right rod'N. tothe left, theflangenzcarrying 'Ialongthe plate 11.5and compressing the sprii'igfO.

In the case of an outward pull on the Aleft rod N, movement of the rodwill be transmitted through the tube N' and the nange n3 thereof to theplate 115, thereby compressing the spring O. Upon outward pull on theright hand rod N, the

tuben is moved through the linkage comprisingvrods q2, left spring plateqf, spring O, right Vspring. plate'ql, rods q2 so that its end ange n2.cooperates with. the spring plate n4 to compress Y,thespring O.

"The embodiment shown in Fig. 5 differs from tube R corresponding to thetube N of Fig. 4 forms -a single piece-with a spring plate R arranged onthe left draft rod N. 'Ihe operation of the" springs of this embodimentis substan- .tially the same'as previouslydescribed.

.the-.embodiment shown in Fig. 6, each of the two draft and buffer rodsS are provided with two collars S and S2, each pair of which serve asabutments for. a pair of spring plates t and t2 arranged on theinnerVends of the rods S. Between each pairof plates t and t2 there isarranged a helical spring T which maintains the plates-tf. and t2 incontact with thejcollars s and. s2 and with abutments u', u2 and 11.3

. of a. tube U which'surroundsvthe inner ends of the rods S. UvThe tubeU is provided with end flanges a4 and 11,5 which serve as abutments forspring plates 11 and 112 between which is arranged ahelical Vspring Vsurrounding the tuberU.

Y Uponinwardpush on both rods S, the spring plates-tl.will-'compressthe'springs T against the spring plates t2, but no Vload is applied tothe springs V. Upon outward pull on both rods S,

' the. plates vt2 will compress the spiings T against the plates t1lwithout loading the spring V. Upon Outward pull or inwar'dpush on onlyone of the rods S,-the tube Uewill be moved in one or theother-direction vunder the action of one of the springs .T 4andaccelerating force will be transmitted fromV the `tube Uto the vehiclebody Vthrough the spring V...

The embodiment shown in Fig. 7 has two draft and bufEer.rods-;W to.which .followers w' are rigidlyrconnected. On the ends of the rods Wthereare mounted tubes w2 which are surrounded by a strong helicalspring X. The springs X bear at r4one rendagainst Yspring plates Xslidably mountedon the'rods W and at the other end against theintermediate wall y of a tube Y on which are arranged two spring platesvy2 with a helical vspring 113. interposed between said spring plates.

z compressingthe spring g3 and thus transmitting forceresilientlyfrom',v the 'draft gearto the ve- ,Y hicle.y UponY pull-on one rod only,compression of the spring 1/3 is effected through the linkage comprisingncollars y,.draftrods w3, spring plate m1, spring X,Vvintermediate wall y1,. tube Y and AVIn the embodiment shownin Figs. 8tol`3, one

Eachy of thel followers w is connected .through draft rods w3 withthespring plate a." of

`thai-shown in Fig. 4 only by the fact that the IIO 1,'9'972170- end ofthe draft'andbuiferrod) Iis' inthe form" arm Sycarries'alongtherabutment `-member k-IIIQ- of a tubular sleeve 2 in whichmvably-Inounted' the second draft and buffer rod 3.V The 'rod 3isprovided withA two rigidly connected arms [and 5,--

arranged at right angles toea'ch othenY The arm 4 is guided in twoopposed longitudinal apertures `Ii'- of the sleeve 2 and extends intolongitudinal Iepertures of a tubular Yabutment member 'Ifslidablysupported on the sleeve 2. 'Ih'earrnfFS` is also guid'V ed in twolongitudinal apertures of the 'sleeve2` and extends into longitudinalapertures 9ofan abutment member IIJ slidably mounted'- o'nthe sleeve 2.Two additional arms II-'Vand I2A are sethe abutment member III.l AgainsteaCh'of-the abutment meinbersl--and Ibears the 4end of the helicalspring Il, the""other end'of which bearsY against a rib I8 inthe tubeI9. The'tub'e- I9'is provided atV both ends'with'flanges Y20 and 2livagainst which spring plates'23 arid'24 areepressed by a helical springZLsurrounding-the tubeIB. The frame members Z'I'of the vehiclearerprovided with abutments to be 'erigagedlby the fiangeshZIl and -EIand by the abutment-members?? andfl and alsoare'providedwi'th abutments26' tol engaged'by the spring plates '23and241` free to move, the arm 5will fsl'ide in th'elongituf dinal apertures 9 to its limitposition(seejfjig.jll)Y j which position is reached wheniten'gages'the44 ends ofthe longitudinal apertures, while the abut mentmember lil bears against the abutmentsY 2 5- of theV vehicle structure.-f 'f During such movement,lt,he arm 4' carries along the abutment memberwhereby the springI'I is compressed and through the'mediumof'jthe ,tube

I9,the spring 22 also'is compressed. lhe'longitudinal apertures are sodimensionedfthat'i'ipon engagement of the tube I9V with the abutment 25of the vehicle frame members-21, all'the 'springs are completelycompressed. If the rodi' is pushed inwardly with the rod 3v freeto'move, the armsV I4 and I5 will engage the leftV ends of4 the longif,ktudinal apertures I 6 and will carry'alon'g thev 'abutment member I0,thereby compressingft'he" Afight spring' I7 until'the stroke limit isreachedin a similar manner as above described with respect to rod 3. Thespring 22 is compressed through the medium of the tube I9, flange 2| andspring plate 24. Upon pull only on the rod 3, the arm 5 bears againstthe left end of the longitudinal aperture 9 and compresses the springv22 in a manner similar to that previously described. Upon a one-sidedpull on the rod I, only the arms II and i2 carry along the abutmentmember I and compress the spring 22 through linkage comprising leftspring II, rib I8, tube I9, flange 2D and spring plate 23. In all of theforegoing eX- amples, force is transmitted resiliently from the draftgear to the vehicle body.

If both rods'I and 3 are pushed inwardly, the arm 4 compresses the leftspring I'I through the abutment member I while the rod I carries alongthe abutment member I0 by means of the arms I4 and I5, therebycompressing the right spring II. Overloading of the springs II isprevented by engagement of the end of the rod 3. with the end of thesleeve 2, thereby rigidly coupling the( rods together (Fig. l2).

The spring 22 is not acted upon. On the application of outward pulltoboth rods I and 3,

thereby vcornygiressing the rightspring I1 while'the rod I Vthrough its'arms I I; and I 2 'y moves the abut ment member Ito' the'fright',`thereby compressi ing the rightspring);l ,Again the-spring 22 is 'notaffected.

In the moeieeatiqnvdiselsed' in FigsftzgisV inclusive, the A'distance ibetween the i abutment' members 'I and III/'and the abutmentsf25 onthefvehicle'is less than thedistance betweenftliefends!v of thetube I9andthe abutments 25,

` Therefore, movement of the abutment members v isarrested'beforernovementof the tube I8 and therefore compression isVeffected ofboth springsy II as wellfas the spring-22g gTher'efore,all'thfreeVv springsare available for transmitting acceleraff lg. force from the draft geariothevemig I claim: Y

alined draftrods movable toward and awayffrem 1. In draft gearforrailway vehicles'apairof" tion' connection between theinner endsbf saidY rods limiting relative Amovement of'said rods, r `e,

silient means tending to ppQSe-relative move-y ment of said rods ineither directioman'd resilient means interposed betweenjsaiddraftrodsthe'vehicle for transmitting `force froxn the forf mer to the latter,said lost motionnconnectionand; said first named .resilient means being'arranged y y, concentric ofY and If therod'is pushed inwardlyvwiththe'f'rodl Within l Said last. named; reSlf entmeans.

2. In draftgear for railway vehicleaafpair of I draft rods, a lostmotipn .connectior'rA betweenthe inner endsof saidy rods, resilientmeanstend-4 ingV to oppose relative inovement ofisaid rods, addditionalr resilienty means coaxial with` and sur-i rounding said lostymotion connection, followersY forfsaid lastrnamed resilient'v means,abutments= on the vehicle engaged by said'followers'an'd cou?,k

pling means'between said lostmeztionconnection and said followers fortransmitti the draft rods to said vehicle,

' 3. In ,drafi-gear for Yrailway vehicles,apair off;

draft rods, al lost motionconnection betweenjthe inner ends of saidrods,resilient means 'opposing relative 4movement of said rods, saidlostvm'otifon y connection including plates jxed to said rods, al,two-:part tube surrounding said llostjmotion zeon'-v I' nection, endanges on said tube engaging s aidi tion connection including platesfixed to said.

rods, two abutting tubular members surrounding said lost motionconnection, anges on said tubular members engaging said'plates,abutments on the vehicle, said tubular members and said draft rods,followers mounted on said draft rods` and said tubular members, andresilient means linterposed between said followers, said followers beingengageable with the abutments on said" vehicle, tubular members anddraft rods. Y

5. In draft gear for railway vehicles, a pairof rods, a lost motionconnection between the inner ends of said rods, said 10st motionconnection comprising a tube surrounding the inner ends of said rods andhaving inwardly projecting abut-r ments, followers rmounted on said rodsand engageable with said abutments, resilient means interposed betweensaidl followers, outwardly extending abutments on said tube, abutmentson interposed between said last named followers. l

7.,In draft gear for railway vehicles, a pair of.. draft rods, a lostmotion connection between the;

said vehicle, followers mounted on said tube, 'each follower beingengageable with both a tube abut;`

ment anda vehicleabutment, and resilient means interposed Abetween saidfollowers. f a

y6. In draft gear for railway vehicles, agpair of draft rods, a lostmotion connection between the inner ends of saidV rods, saidlostVmotionlco'n-V nection comprisinga sleeve on the inner end ofk one rodreceiving` the inner end of the otherrod, slotted abutment membersYslidably,mounted on said sleeve, arms onfsaid rod and sleeve extendffving into the slots vof said abutment members, a

tube surrounding saidsleeve and `having, an inwardly projecting. centralannularilange, re-v silient means-interposed between said abutmentmembers and said flange, outwardly projecting'` abutments onV said tube,abutments on said ve.v

hicle, additional followers mounted on said tube, 1

each follower being engageable with a tube abutment and a vehicleabutment and resilient means inner ends of said rods, said lost motionconnection comprising a sleeve on the inner end of one rod receiving theinner end of the other rod, longitudinal slots'in said sleeve, slottedabutment members slidably mounted YonL said sleeve, arms on said rodextending ,through theslots in said sleeve into the slots ofv saidvabutment members,

arms on said sleeverextending into the slotsV of. said abutment members,a tube having a central inwardly -projecting annular flange, springsinterposed between said abutment members and said flange,outwardlyprojecting,abutments on said tube, additional followersmountedon said tube', each follower being engageable with a tube'abutmentY and a vehicle abutment, resilient means interposed betweensaid followers, andadditional vehicle abutment members engageable bysaid abutment members. l ,l

8. In draft gear rforrailway vehicles, a pair of draft rods, a lostmotion connection between the inner ends of said rods, said lostmotion'con- :nectionrcomprising a sleeve on the inner end of one rodreceiving the inner end'of the other rod, slotted abutment membersslidablyj mounted onV said sleeve, arms on said rod and sleeve extendinginto the` slots of said abutment members, a tube surrounding said sleeveand having an in- Vwardly projecting central annular flange, resilientmeans interposed between said abutment members and said flange,outwardly projecting abutments on said tube, abutments on said vehicle,additional followers mounted on said tube, each follower Vbeingengageable with a tube abutment andy avehicle abutment, and resilientmeans interposed between said last named followers, the distancebetweenl the abutment members and the last named vehicle abutments beingless than the distance between the ends of said tube Aand said lastnamed vehicle abutments.

9. Indraft gearl for railway vehicles, a pair of draft rods, a lostmotionv connection between the inner ends `of said rods, said Alostmotion connection comprising a sleeve on the inner end of one yrodreceiving the inner end ofthe other rod, longitudinal slots in saidsleeve, slotted abutment members slidably mounted on said sleeve, armson l said rod extending through the slots in said sleeve into the slotsof said abutmentl members, arms on Vsaid sleeve extending into the slotsof said abutment members, aY tube having a central inwardly projectingannular flange, springs interposed between said abutment Ymembers andsaid flange,

abutments. Y Y

10. In draft gear for railway vehicles, a pair ofY alined draftrodsmovable toward and away from each other from a position of rest, alost motion connection Abetween the inner ends ofA said rods limitingthe relative movement thereof, springs coaxial with said rods andsurrounding the inner ends thereof, connections between certain,

of said springs and said rods for opposing relative movement of the rodsin either direction, and means connecting the remainder of said springswith the vehicle and lost motion connection for transmitting force fromthe rods to the vehicle.

Y VHEINRICH EGEN.

said last named vehicle

